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Elsevier

Fundamentals of Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Systems Engineering

  • 1st Edition - June 8, 2024
  • Latest edition
  • Editor: Marta Victoria
  • Language: English

**2025 Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA) Most Promising New Textbook Award Winner**Fundamentals of Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Systems Engineering presents all the… Read more

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Description

**2025 Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA) Most Promising New Textbook Award Winner**

Fundamentals of Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Systems Engineering presents all the major topics relevant to understanding photovoltaic technology, including the working principles of solar cells, modeling and measuring solar radiation, manufacturing processes for solar cells and photovoltaic modules, the design and operation of rooftop installations and large-scale power plants, the economics of such systems, and the role of photovoltaic solar energy in the ongoing energy transition. This book is intended for use as a textbook on photovoltaic solar energy for upper-level undergraduate/graduate engineering students.

Key features

  • Consists of 15 chapters, including basic theory, along with problems to solve and a solutions manual
  • Provides a basic understanding of topics such as semiconductor fundamentals, the pn junction, and the working principle of solar cells for students without previous experience
  • Covers the design and operation principles of rooftop installations and large-scale solar power plants
  • Presents the IV curve and efficiency attained by solar cells, photovoltaic modules, and systems, how they are impacted by solar radiation and temperature, and how they can be measured

Readership

Upper level undergraduate and first year graduate students primarily in mechanical and electrical engineering programs – US enrollment is 2,000 students per year (source: Navstem) with average course enrollment of 25 students

Table of contents

1. Introduction to Solar Energy

2. Solar Radiation

3. Working principles of solar cells

4. Circuit properties of solar cells

5. Manufacturing of solar cells

6. Alternative solar cell technologies

7. Photovoltaic panels

8. Integrated PV

9. Elements of power electronics for PV

10. Design and operation of small PV systems

11. Design and operation of utility-scale solar power plants

12. Measuring solar cells, modules, and power plants

13. Economics of solar energy

14. Large penetration of solar in the grid

15. Solar PV for space applications

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: September 10, 2024
  • Language: English

About the editor

MV

Marta Victoria

Dr. Marta Victoria has a BSc and MSc in Aerospace Engineering and a PhD in Photovoltaic Solar Energy from the Technical University of Madrid, Spain. She works as an Associate Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark, where she teaches courses in Photovoltaic Solar Energy and Macro-Energy System Modeling. Her current research interests include the modeling of large-scale energy systems with high renewable penetration and the analysis of how to integrate large amounts of solar PV electricity into the grid. She also investigates novel PV system designs including agrivolatics and energy communities based on shared rooftop PV installations.
Affiliations and expertise
Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Aarhus University, Denmark

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